Two capacitors of 0.0003μF and 0.0006μF are connected in series, find their combined capacitance.

Assessment: JAMB UTME - Physics - 2024 Subject: Physics

Question 1 Report

Two capacitors of 0.0003μF and 0.0006μF are connected in series, find their combined capacitance.
Answer Details

When capacitors are connected in series, the formula to find their combined capacitance \(C_{\text{total}}\) is given by:


\[ \frac{1}{C_{\text{total}}} = \frac{1}{C_1} + \frac{1}{C_2} \]


where \(C_1\) and \(C_2\) are the capacitances of the individual capacitors. In this case, \(C_1 = 0.0003 \, \mu\text{F}\) and \(C_2 = 0.0006 \, \mu\text{F}\).


First, calculate the reciprocal of each capacitance:


\[ \frac{1}{C_1} = \frac{1}{0.0003} \]


\[ \frac{1}{C_2} = \frac{1}{0.0006} \]


Calculating each value:


\[ \frac{1}{0.0003} = \frac{10^6}{3} \] and \[ \frac{1}{0.0006} = \frac{10^6}{6} \]


Now, add these values together:


\[ \frac{1}{C_{\text{total}}} = \frac{10^6}{3} + \frac{10^6}{6} = \frac{10^6 \times 2}{6} + \frac{10^6 \times 1}{6} = \frac{10^6 \times 3}{6} = \frac{10^6}{2} \]


Finally, take the reciprocal of the resulting value to find \(C_{\text{total}}\):


\[ C_{\text{total}} = \frac{2}{10^6} = 0.0002 \, \mu\text{F} \]


So, the combined capacitance of the two capacitors in series is 0.0002 μF.

Download The App On Google Playstore

Everything you need to excel in your exams

Green Bridge CBT Mobile App
Personalized AI Learning Chat Assistant
200,000+ Exam Questions Across IGCSE, JAMB, WAEC & NECO
Over 3,900 Lesson Notes
Offline Support - Learn Anytime, Anywhere
Green Bridge Timetable
Literature Summaries & Potential Questions
Track Your Performance & Progress
In-depth Explanations for Comprehensive Learning